Christopher Gist

Christopher Gist (1706-unknown) was an American surveyor and frontiersman who took part in the exploration of the American Frontier during the early 1750s. He accompanied Colonel George Washington on the first battle of the French and Indian War, and fought at Washington's side on occasion. His neighbor Daniel Boone became a celebrated frontier hero.

Biography
Aside from being born in Baltimore, much of Christopher Gist's youth is unknown. Although he had little in the way of a formal education, he was taught surveying and grew up to be a successful frontiersman. In the years before the Seven Years' War, Gist had settled in North Carolina and was the neighbor of the celebrated frontiersman Daniel Boone.

In 1751, Gist became a member of the Templar Order, which sent him to explore the country and present himself to the indigenous people in order to secure alliances and commercial lanes. In 1753, Gist accompanied George Washington to deliver a message to the French, demanding that they leave the Ohio Country. This event sparked the French and Indian War, and Gist would later return on occasion to fight at Washington's side.

While serving under Colonel George Monro as a spy in 1756, Gist was sent to the abandoned Fort Arsenal to find out about a secret weapon that the rival Assassin Order was developing. Gist found out about the grenade launcher that they invented, but was captured, and the Assassins threatened to hang him. Monro sent Shay Cormac to rescue Gist from the gallows, and Shay shot the rope in time to stop Gist from being hung. The two fought off the last of the Assassins, and they took over Fort Arsenal as the new Templar base. Gist offered to be Shay's First Mate aboard his reclaimed ship Morrigan, and Shay agreed - Gist became his friend and confidant. Gist introduced him to Jack Weeks and William Johnson, and assisted him in all of his naval battles as his advisor and also a fighter. Some actions he took part in include the storming of Fort La Croix, the Battle of Louisbourg, the battle of Vieille Carriere, and the destruction of the Chevalier de la Verendrye's fleet, among many other naval battles.